Project Summary: SAGE Research Education Component The goal of the SAGE Research Education Component is to enhance the diversity of the aging research workforce by mentoring promising scientists from under-represented groups for sustained careers in aging research. Through an annual pilot award program, we seek to advance the academic career trajectory of junior faculty and postdoctoral fellows from under-represented groups (collectively ?SAGE Scientists?) from Stanford University and our affiliated organizations by providing training opportunities, mentoring and support to enable them conduct trans-disciplinary, research that integrates biological, social and behavioral sciences aspects using emerging methodologies (biomedical data science, digital health methods, precision medicine techniques and virtual reality and simulation based interventions). Each year, the SAGE program will fund three pilot awards. As a show of strong institution support, two additional pilot awards will be supported by Stanford School of Medicine. The training period for SAGE Scientists through the RCMAR program is one year. The components of their training experience will include didactic instruction specifically designed to impart knowledge about research methodologies and health disparities embedded within a degree or a customized selection of courses that enhance knowledge in domains important for future success. All SAGE Scientists will complete a mentored pilot research project focused on integrating biological, social and behavioral sciences on emerging methodologies in aging research, designed and implemented with the guidance of committed, and skilled research mentors. Each SAGE Scientist will be assigned a research mentor (typically an expert in biomedical data science, digital health methods, precision medicine techniques and virtual reality and simulation based interventions) and a methods mentor (typically a behavioral scientist, epidemiologist, statistician, or informatician). To complement this independent research training, SAGE Scientists will attend a weekly seminar series that includes scholar research-in- progress, faculty research, professional guidance, peer to peer advising, and professional development topics. Additionally, they will complete training in research ethics, research reproducibility, compliance, and good clinical science practices. At the completion of their training, the SAGE Scientists will have acquired much of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to transition into viable academic careers. These skills include conducting trans-disciplinary aging research, authoring manuscripts, competing for external funding, developing mentoring and team building strategies, and understanding how to design and implement their career development plans. We aim to enable our SAGE Scientists to successfully step into research-based positions in academia, industry, government, or the not-for-profit sector. SAGE Scientists will learn in an environment that emphasizes teamwork and teaches that the most innovative research is a product of team-science that bridges all disciplinary areas spanning the aging landscape, from the identification and mitigation of health disparities to discovery of novel approaches that promote health equity and wellness for diverse older Americans. !